2 4 4 t i e r r a d e l f u e g o .
4 : '
é r
ft'
contrasted with the dead white of an expanse of snow - As
fragments fell from the glacier i n t o the water they flowed
away, and the channel with its icebergs represented m minia-
t ^ i h e polar sea. When we reached the western mouth of
this branch of the channel, we sailed amongst « “ T
islands, and then proceeded by the outer coas
trance of the other arm. T h e n c e we returned *0
Sound, saw the Fuegians, and arrived at the ship
twenty-days’ excursion.
s
C H A P T E R X I I .
F a lk la n d Isla n d s— E x c u r s io n ro u n d isla n d— A s p e c t— C a ttle , h o rse s , r a b b
it, wo lf-lik e fo x— F ir e m a d e o f b o n e s— A r t in m a k in g fire— M a n n e r o f
h u n tin g w ild c a ttle— G eo lo g y , fo ss il sh e lls— V a lle y s fille d w ith g r e a t
fra gm en ts , s c en e s o f v io le n c e— P e n g u in— G e e s e— E g g s o f d o ris—
Z o o p h y te s, c o ra llin e p h o s p h o re s c e n t— C om p o u n d a n im a ls .
F A L K L A N D I S L A N D S .
M a r c h 1 6 t h , 1 8 3 4 .—The Beagle anchored in Berkeley
Sound, in East Falkland Island.* This archipelago is situated
in nearly the same latitude as the mouth of the Strait of Magellan.
It covers a space of about 120 by 60 geographical
miles, and is a little more than half the size of Ireland.
After the possession of these miserable islands had been contested
by France, Spain, and England, they were left uninhabited.
The government of Buenos Ayres then sold them to
a private individual, but likewise used them, as old Spain
had done before, for a penal settlement. England claimed
her right and seized them. The Englishman who was left
in charge of the flag was consequently murdered. A British
officer was next sent, unsupported by any power: and when we
arrived, we found him in charge of a population, of which
rather more than half were runaway rebels and murderers.
The theatre is worthy of the scenes acted on it. An undulating
land, with a desolate and wretched aspect, is every
where covered by a peaty soil and wiry grass, of one monotonous
brown colour. Here and there a peak or ridge of gray
quartz rock, breaks through the smooth surface. Every one
has heard of the climate of these regions; it may be compared
to that which is experienced at the height of between
one and two thousand feet, on the mountains of North
* I n th e s am e m o n th , a lso, o f th e p r e v io u s y e a r, th e B e a g le v isite d
th e s e islands.